I only ever buy celery when I’m entertaining (ie. veggie platters, dippers, caesars) or when I need it for specific recipes. So I always have trouble finishing a whole bunch of celery. That’s usually when I put it into a stir fry. It adds a nice crunch. You can make a stir fry with any meat and vegetable combination that you like, so feel free to add nuts and/or other vegetables like carrots and mushrooms.
This was one of the hors d’oeuvres that I made for my 100th Post Party. I love shrimp salad and this was my first time serving it in endive leaves (also called endive spears or endive boats). The crunchiness of the endive paired really well with the creaminess of the shrimp salad. It was also easy for my guests to eat and it looked very elegant. Another option is to serve this shrimp salad in wonton cups. I had excess shrimp salad so I made some wonton cups for that (recipe below).
I am in love with Asian deep fried wings, because they’re not battered like the ones you typically get in Western restaurants, bars or pubs. My favourite Asian wings come from a Vietnamese restaurant that my family and I have frequented for over a decade. We go only for their wings, which could not be any simpler. They’re deep fried until the skin is crispy, yet light, with perfectly moist meat, and they’re served with lime wedges and a dip that’s simply salt and pepper mixed together.
I tried Waldorf Salad for the first time in Boca, Florida, when I was visiting a friend. The first thing I did when I got back from my trip was make my own waldorf salad (to make up for years of lost time 😉 ). The original waldorf salad used a dressing of mayonnaise and lemon or vinegar (which I use for my broccoli salad). The restaurant I had it in served it with an option of a creamy blue cheese dressing or a honey dijon dressing. I prefer to use blue cheese dressing (recipe here).
I love using blue cheese sauce as a dip for my hot wings and as a dressing on waldorf salads (recipe here). This blue cheese sauce is even better than store bought (in my opinion).
I started making my own candied walnuts when I started making waldorf salads (recipe here). These are fantastic snacks, especially while watching a movie or a game. And if you put them into clear gift bags tied with pretty ribbon, you can sell them at bake sales or use them as cute favours for dinner parties, showers, or gifts over the holidays.
As you can tell, from the 2 other Chinese pork ribs recipes that I’ve posted, I really like fast-cooked ribs. This one is a family favourite. Note that this is not a saucy dish.
There are very few foods that I don’t like but I don’t like beans. But since they’re so good for you (and economical), I’ve been trying to incorporate them into my diet. I’m a firm believer that you can teach yourself to like ANY food no matter how much you dislike it. So when Green Giant frozen lima beans went on sale, I bought some and made this simple soup. It turns out I don’t dislike lima beans after all.
Steamed egg (or water egg) is a Cantonese dish that is served with rice alongside other dishes at dinner. It is a very light dish that is incredibly quick and easy to make. There are many variations that include combinations of dried scallops, dried shrimp, minced pork, soy sauce, and green onions. But my favourite variation is the three colour dish (referring to the three different types of eggs used). Note that the texture of the eggs in this dish is very soft, silky, and slightly watery. The flavour comes from the salted duck egg and preserved duck egg (also known as century old egg).
Ed and I used to order potato skins in bars and restaurants all the time, until I started making them at home. It takes a bit of work but they’re really easy to make, they’re perfect for parties, and it’s much more cost efficient to make your own. The bars and restaurants deep fry their potato skins but these are baked in the oven so they’re not as crispy. You could deep fry your potato skins (after you’ve scooped out the baked flesh) in vegetable oil at 350 degrees F.
The texture of tilapia makes it very easy to handle and the thin fillet allows it to cook very quickly so it’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Since it’s such a mild fish, I like to pair it with more flavourful dipping sauces like honey mustard, tartar sauce, or ketchup. I buy tilapia fillets in bulk and freeze them separately. They defrost in no time since they’re so thin, which is another reason I use them for my lazy meals.
You can make one pot meals using Chinese clay pots. These rice dishes are some of my favourite foods. When done right, the bottom layer of rice is crispy and the top layer is beautifully flavoured with the juices from the meat and other toppings.
Cooking with Alison 